


The Chase

by a_simple_rainbow



Category: Glee
Genre: College AU, M/M, Skank Kurt Hummel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-18 12:48:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10617243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_simple_rainbow/pseuds/a_simple_rainbow
Summary: Kurt is a college freshman showing up to campus on a sweet ass ride. He doesn’t care what others think (hasn’t since he was a sophomore and discovered the wonders of steel tip boots and detachment), but if he did, he knows they’d think he looks equal parts intimidating and cool. Badass with class.And that, right up there on the sidewalk walking towards campus, is a great ass he has class with.And since Kurt has a class with that guy, it’s not considered catcalling or sleazy to slow down and take off his helmet (for better view) and say something, is it?Based on the prompt: “I drive to school and you walk and I drive past you everyday and it’s below freezing and you’re still walking please just get in the damn car I’ll drive you” AUBirthday gift for Notthetoothfairy!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [notthetoothfairy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthetoothfairy/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BISH! Love yah! Here's three things mushed together for you!
> 
> (Also, because it's a bday gift for my beta, you'll excuse the typos and stuff I'm sure is there and I didn't spot with my own terrible proofreading skills)

Kurt likes to think he keeps it classy. Despite the leather, and the ripped jeans, and the dyed hair, and the motorcycle – he keeps it classy. He doesn’t holler at people as he drives by, he disposes of his cigarettes butts properly; he makes sure his bike makes the normal and indispensible amount of sound when speeding up, and he just generally minds his own business. He may be… badass, but he’s kept his class. And, I mean, he’s a college freshman showing up to campus on a sweet ass ride. He doesn’t care what others think (hasn’t since he was a sophomore and discovered the wonders of steel tip boots and detachment), but if he did, he knows they’d think he looks equal parts intimidating and cool. Badass with class.

And _that_ , right up there on the sidewalk walking towards campus, is a great ass he has class with.

And since Kurt has a class with that guy, it’s not considered catcalling or sleazy to slow down and take off his helmet (for better view) and say something, is it? Sure, they’ve never talked, but it’s only been a month of classes, anyway. He’s seen the guy around, with his tight pants, and fitted blazers, and the occasional bold print bow-tie that shouldn’t work but does. And he’s been curious about the guy – mainly because he’s hot – but also because he seems to get along with literally everyone and light up smiles in the seemingly gloomiest of faces he interacts with. It’s probably some vestige of the old, naïve, 14 year old romantic Kurt, but he feels a pull towards the guy and he spends almost most time in class watching him, than he does paying attention, and English Lit is one of his favorite.

But mostly it’s been a while since he got laid and this guy is 137% gay.

Besides, Kurt knows that everyone notices his leather jacket and doc martens, so the boy is bound to have noticed him too. And with that ass on a fine-ass morning like this, as opposed to every other he’s considered before, is as good a time as any to make introductions.

Yes, Kurt thinks, this is a good idea. _Let’s get some._

“Hi, there!” he says as he slows down and lifts up his helmet visor.

The guy practically jumps. He looks at Kurt, pauses for a second – a flicker of recognition? – before he goes back to staring straight ahead. He speeds up his pace, which is fine with Kurt because its hard driving a bike at a walking pace.

“You hug those books any tighter and I’ll be jealous.”

The guy glances at him again, but still keeps his silence. Kurt might need to work on his lines, that much he can admit. He was usually on the receiving end, back home, and never got much practice with an active pursuit.

“We have class together.” Kurt offers, “English Lit. with Professor Kehoane?”

Finally, more than a glance. Not a particularly pleased look, but for now, Kurt will take it. The boy loosens his grips on his books and sighs. “Right.”

“I was wondering if you want a ride there?”

Kurt pauses altogether and lets the guy look him up and down and survey his sweet ride. “I think I’m fine to walk the next ten minutes,” the guy says, with a slight smile.

“It’s ten minutes that could be cut short to five, and then we could spend the other five getting to know each other. I’m Kurt.”

The guy surveys Kurt for another second. The same hint of a smile still there. “Blaine.” He says, as he starts walking. “I don’t do bikes.”

“Why not?” Kurt has to push the bike forward with his feet to keep it upright at such a slow speed.

Blaine snorts. “Where to start? First of all, it’s a selfish mode of transportation. Our planet is dying and you choose to travel around this thing that only takes one person, while still polluting?”

“Two people.”

“One person with an adequate level of comfort.”

“Well, if you try it you’ll see my torso is very comfortable to hug from behind.”

Blaine quirks an eyebrow and gives him a look that Kurt hopes is mostly amused and not as annoyed as it looks. “Secondly, It’s a death trap. One second you’re driving and then, because maybe you got a rush of wind to your face, or you tilted just a tad too much to turn, or there was a tiny speck of oil on the road, and then the next your head’s been run over by a fruit truck.”

“Fruit truck?”

“Delivering squash, for irony.” Blaine shrugs. “And to cut to the chase, bypassing many other valid reasons, last but not least. If I’m going to be on a moving vehicle, there better be music. There’s no music with that, unless you want to endanger your safety even further. _So_.” Blaine smiles and shrugs, looking accomplished and self-assured.

Kurt could accept defeat and drive off. It would probably be the smartest, and even the classiest choice. But instead he hops off the bike altogether and starts pushing it along as they walk. “It’s nine in the morning.” He frowns. “How are you even this articulate?”

“It’s all the walking.” Blaine says with self-satisfied smirk. “Wakes me up. That and coffee.”

“Gotta be awake for that class, for sure.” Kurt says, because nothing works to start a conversation more than commiserating about classes.

“I actually really like it.”

“Ugh…” Kurt frowns and stares at his feet for a second. “Yeah, actually, me too.”

This is not badass with class.

-

The next morning Kurt sees him up ahead, and he tells himself this will be funny and not at all pathetic. He slows down next to Blaine, takes a long look at his body, from head to die – even from behind (in certain aspects, especially from behind), it is very much worth the effort. He will tap that. And also, never use the expression “tap that” again. What is he? A suburban father trying to break the ice with his son?

“Good morning.”

Blaine doesn’t jump today, but he does gasp when he catches sight of Kurt. “You’re not wearing your helmet!”

“You can have it.” Kurt shrugs, as he hops off the bike. “Aaaaand, check this out…” he produces his portable speakers and a roll of tape and tapes it to the front deck of the bike. “Huuuuh?!” he winks as he presses play on his phone, on the painstakingly carefully chosen song. Something hardcore, for cohesion, but not hardcore enough that someone as preppy looking as Blaine would run away from. “You can even use your own music, I’ll let you do that.”

Blaine laughs. “Okay, first of all. Do not get back on that bike without a helmet or I’ll call the cops.”

Kurt scoffs, but Blaine gives him a glare.

“And second of all, I’m pretty sure the wind rushing past wouldn’t let me listen to the sweet dulcet tones of whoever is screaming his lungs out of your speakers right now.”

“You like listing stuff…? I could list all of the ways your a-”

“No.” Blaine says firmly. Well, he’s smiling, so Kurt can’t have pushed it too far, but there’s a certain exasperated quality to it. Still, maybe he should cool it, before it goes into pure annoyance.

“Ahh, so we’re walking?” Kurt sighs and gets ready to repeat yesterday’s journey.

Blaine shrugs. “ _I’m_ definitely walking. And this is a public sidewalk, so… I mean, I can’t stop you, can I?”

“Okay, but do you want me to get lost?” Kurt offers with an exaggeration of a gallant smile.

Blaine considers it – or apparently pretends to consider it, because the thoughtful look dissolves into chuckles. “No. If you got lost you’d be late to class, and far be it from me to keep you from academic excellence.”

“I appreciate that. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Blaine smiles and it almost seems genuine.

Kurt is _not_ throwing away his shot.

“ _In fact_ , there are other things you could help me excel at, that are much more interesting than academia, but we can do them in the classroom, on a desk, if that’s your thing.”

Blaine laughs, staring at the sky for a second before he mumbles “Oh my god!” and then turns back to Kurt – a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks – and says “Can you at least turn off the screeching?”

Kurt stops the music with a smirk. Surely, the chase is going to be worth it.

-

Blaine can hear the bike approach before Kurt even says hi. He looks up to find the other boy holding a second helmet, his own pink streaked hair poking out of the other appropriately worn helmet. Kurt wiggles his eyebrows and Blaine can’t help laughing. He does still manage to shake his head, and watches as Kurt accepts it without insisting, dismounting and taking off the helmet. Blaine tries not to think about the happy little feeling that gesture lights up in his gut.

He barely knows Kurt, and while Blaine tries not to judge books by their covers, he does know better than to assume Kurt wants more than one good night and probably not even dinner, before or afterwards. It’s not just the bike and the leather and the sleazy pick-up lines. Blaine’s been in this city, in this atmosphere of freedom-loving college students and alcoholic parties, for a while now and he’s learned his lesson. That boyfriend he thought he was gonna find so easily the minute he stepped on campus? He’s somewhere else, because over here he’s only found guys who stopped returning his texts after that one _good_ night.

And, oh yeah, the guy has more than implied it both days they talked, as they were parting ways for class.

Still, Kurt seems to like the chase, and Blaine can’t lie to himself well enough to say it doesn’t make him feel a tiny bit better about himself, to have someone go through the trouble of pushing a bike for ten minutes, just so he can _try_.

Maybe, after all of it, they could at least be friends.

“At this point it’d probably be easier to ride an actual bicycle.” Blaine teases.

“Yeah, but then I’d be sweaty…” Kurt shrugs, and then lights up. “Unless you’re into that?”

Blaine rolls his eyes and keeps himself in check. “Oookay. Now that we’ve got that out of the way…”

“That’s what she said.”

“Oh my god.”

“I’m sorry.” Kurt laughs. “That one was just to annoy you.”

Blaine pretends to swat him over the head with his notebook. “You finished?”

Kurt squints his eyes, scrunches up his nose and purses his lip. There’s a strangled joke in there and Blaine knows he set it up. He does swat Kurt over the head with his notebook.

“Have you started on that report yet?” Blaine asks, glaring Kurt into submission to the new, harmless topic, all the while ignoring the disappointment that flares up when Kurt does obey and stops flirting.

They talk about the book report all the way to the classroom, and then, like the two days before, Blaine finds his friends and Kurt finds his… seat. Only today, Blaine spends most of the class glancing back at Kurt, trying to decide what the hell he’s feeling.

Kurt catches him glancing twice. On the second time he gives Blaine a cocky eyebrow wiggle and mouths “bathroom break?”, and Blaine has enough grace to laugh instead of throw a pencil at him.

It’s just annoying. It’s like every single guy Blaine has dated since he got here – it feels nice to be wanted, and he wants _that_ feeling, but then they never want all of it, and Blaine doesn’t want _that_ feeling. But if he’s being honest, there _is_ something about Kurt. Something he can’t put his finger on; not even after they’ve been walking together to class for weeks. Not even after Blaine starts sitting with Kurt every other class and sharing little notes and comments.

Maybe it’s the lame pick-up lines that do not belong on a person that cool and attractive. Maybe it’s when the pick-up lines stop and the conversation is easy, intelligent, fun _and_ funny, but still leaves Blaine thirsty for more – for the pick-up lines or the flimsiest hint of them. Maybe it’s that sometimes Kurt doesn’t look comfortable in his… persona, and that’s a mystery Blaine would love to solve because… well, because then it might mean that Kurt isn’t as cool and detached as he wants to seem – to be – and… then maybe what if he’s like Blaine? What if he does want more? Maybe it’s all of that and it’s not just something about Kurt, but a lot about Kurt, and that is intimidating.

Well, it’s not like he can _not_ do this, because he is Blaine Anderson, hopeless romantic who hasn’t been able to change that about himself for five consecutive minutes let alone ten with Kurt and his bike… So… _Buckle up, Blaine. You’ve got a crush, and there’s work to be done_.

-

Winter throws a little bit of a wrench in things. A lot of days it’s raining so hard that Blaine has to take the bus, and even Kurt sometimes seems to have to forfeit his bike in exchange for something with more cover – and, because Blaine’s luck works like that, Kurt takes the subway.

But, it’s comforting to realize Kurt is as troubled by this development as him, since he doubles down on his lines as soon as he gets into class and sits in the seat closest to Blaine available.

On one of the increasingly sparse days where the weather allows them to have their routine back, Blaine teases Kurt about it. “See, when I said the list of disadvantages of driving a bike was so long I had to shorten it to the essentials, this was one of those. How’s winter treating you?”

Kurt sighs, “Trust me, the worst part of winter so far is you wearing long coats.” And then for punctuation and because he thinks Blaine needs clarification, he leans back and pretends to try and check out his ass. Blaine spins all the way around and for five minutes he walks sideways, fully facing Kurt, and unable to keep himself from grinning like an idiot. As long as Kurt doesn’t know what’s he’s grinning about, right?

But then everything changes. Just as rain turns to snow, and temperatures get below freezing, and Blaine thinks it’s sad how no one will ever know that the most romantic thing he’s ever done is continue to walk to class in the hopes that Kurt will continue to show up, which he always does, everything changes.

Blaine is just about admitting defeat on a particularly cold day, and beating himself up for risking pneumonia for a boy, on finals week of all weeks, when he hears the sound of someone pulling over, but it’s not a bike. He looks to his left to find a black navigator driving slowly alongside him, music blasting. Kurt leans forward to look at him through the passenger window.

“Get in, loser, we’re going to class!”

Blaine’s chin is probably glue to the sidewalk ice. “What?!”

“Pray tell, what do you have against cars that you won’t take this ride?”

Blaine opens and closes his mouth several times, before he does the only thing there is to do. He opens the door and slides inside. Kurt watches him do it with a grin and Blaine can’t help laughing, once he’s settled, and the heating is defrosting his nose and ears.

He turns to Kurt as the car resumes movement. “Was that a Mean Girls quote?”

Kurt gives him a long calculated look, and then shrugs. “I plead the fifth.”

Blaine chuckles. Glimpses like this, hints that Kurt knows about things that he shouldn’t know if he’s as tough a guy as he looks, that’s what gets Blaine hope that he’s not as much of a lost cause as he likes to make himself seem.

He playfully shakes all of the snow on him in Kurt’s direction and then fiddles with the stereo to turn the volume down. There’s only so much emo punk rock he can take. “Can I change the music?”

Kurt shrugs, and points to the iPod connected to the stereo. It’s one of the older models, with lots of memory space, that got discontinued and it’s in a surprisingly pristine condition. Blaine picks it up and starts on the arduous task of finding something agreeable.

Or a task he assumed would’ve been arduous.

It’s really not.

His thumb hovers over the options for a while. His brain is rewiring everything and puzzle pieces start clicking together while a greater sense of hope that he’s ever allowed himself fills his body. He studies Kurt’s profile, and sees the way Kurt tries to pretend he doesn’t notice or mind his gaze. He keeps his smile to himself, as he looks at the music that by all logic should never be there, and can’t even be claimed to be old scraps from a forgotten childhood.

Without a word, he presses play on the Broadway cast recording for Waitress. Jessie Mueller’s voice fills the car.

 _“It's not simple to say_  
 _That most days I don't recognize me_ ”

Kurt startles. His hands grip the steering wheel a little tighter and for a second his eyes focus a little too much on the road.

  
“ _That these shoes and this apron  
That place and its patrons_

 _Have taken more than I gave them_ ”

“I really like this song…” Blaine says softly. Tentative. Kurt glances at Blaine.

  
_“It's not easy to know_  
 _I'm not anything like I used be, although it's true_  
 _I was never attention's sweet center_  
 _I still remember that girl_ ”

Kurt closes his eyes for a moment and Blaine reaches over to put a hand on his knee. He squeezes gently. Kurt takes a deep breath and opens his eyes, only to gasp, and slam on the brakes. They lurch with the sudden halt, the seat belt digging harshly into Blain’s chest. Once they’re still and nothing’s happened, Blaine looks forward to see a car stopped barely an inch away from the front of the Navigator.

“Oh shit.” Blaine breathes, hand to his chest, while Kurt sits there staring ahead at the almost accident, and Jessie Mueller continues to belt out the recollection of her lost self. “I’m sorry.”

Kurt takes on big breath before he gives Blaine a tentative smile. “And you think bikes are dangerous. _You’re_ dangerous.”

“I’m sorry.” Blaine mumbles again. “I just. I- yeah, I guess the car is probably not the best place to try to…” he finishes with a lame shrug, and watches Kurt nervously.

Kurt turns on the blinkers, kills the engine and pulls the hand brake. He turns as fully as possible towards Blaine. “Try to…?”

“Um… I dunno… I guess… Connect?”

“Connect?” Kurt smirks, and Blaine can see the moment fading. “Blaine, I’ve been trying to _connect_ to-”

“No!” Blaine refuses to walk away from it. It’s now or never. “You know, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Kurt’s voice is drenched with sarcasm, and Blaine can feel a shiver go down his spine. Not a good one. “I forgot you think I’m repulsive, for a moment there-”

“What? No! I like you!” He’ll regret saying it like that – like he’s mad.

Kurt rolls his eyes. “Just not like _tha_ t.”

“No, _exactly_ like that!”

“What?”

“I _like_ you. I like _you_. I want to be with you – to go on dates, and… _be_ with you. But I want _all_ of it!” Kurt is staring at him like Blaine’s grown two heads, and everything is just getting too real too fast. “I don’t want to be just sex. I want to be someone’s boyfriend! I want to be special, and… that’s not what you want, so.” He throws his hands up and starts grabbing his stuff from the floor.

“Blaine… Wait a second.”

“Is it?!”

“I- wha- Just…” Kurt can’t find his words, but Blaine doesn’t need him to, because if he needs to look for them, then he’s got his answer. It’s just not the one he hoped for.

Kurt is just like everyone else. And he should’ve known.

He throws the car door open and exits as quickly as he can.

-

Kurt skips class. Instead, he pathetically sits in his car and listens to that stupid song on a loop.

What the fuck is he doing?

What’s this charade? How far is he going to take it? When he started it had a purpose, and it made the abuse in the high school hallways stop. It worked, and it was perfect. And he learned to be this person because this person saved his life. But he’s not _there_ anymore. Why is he acting like he is?

Why is he not relaxing with the knowledge that the hallways he walks down nowadays are quiet and wide with space, filled only with people too worried about essays and hangovers that they can barely spare him a glance, let alone a shove.

And why did he even hesitate when Blaine asked him what he wanted?

The days of sleazy anonymous guys on Grindr _could_ be over. The days of creepy cloe-your-eyes-and-pretend-it’s-taylor-lautner guys at Scandals _are_ over. No one here cares about whether or not he’s a loser who can’t get laid or an award-winning slut – the price of safety is no longer a group of friends that expects him to self-destruct and trust only the pleasure of the moment and the impending doom of what comes next.

Why would he have to lie to anyone, let alone himself, and pretend that he’d be satisfied with one night with Blaine? Yes, the chase was worth it, but only because it let him get to know Blaine. Because it let him fall for someone the way he always dreamed of falling.

He’s a different person from his 14-year-old self – he really is. And maybe, yes, after three years, the leather jacket does feel like himself, and the boots are comfortable, and the bike is fun. But the music is still insufferable, and the smoking is beyond gross, and the casual sex… isn’t what he wants. What he ever wanted. He promised himself it would be temporary, and he forgot that promise. But somehow Blaine saw right through him and brought it back full force with one single song.

He’s not 14 years old and a hopeless romantic that thinks the world will make his dreams true, complete with a white picket fence and standing ovations on Broadway, just because he said so. But he’s also not the guy who doesn’t trust or care. He’s not the guy who refuses to take a risk on someone because it might leave him looking humiliated and unwanted – the guy who stops wanting himself, so other people can’t reject him first.

He cares, and he trusts. Most of all, Blaine.

So, he finishes the drive to campus and stands outside of the classroom waiting until students start filtering out. Blaine comes out flanked by his two usual friends. It’s almost impossible to tell he’s upset, and Kurt feels guilty at the relief that pours over him when he sees the flatness of his smile.

“You’re wrong.” Kurt says, not even caring that he interrupted Blaine’s friend. “It is what I want.”

“What?”

“A relationship.” Kurt shrugs, “It is what I want.”

Blaine’s friends watch them like a tennis match, and Kurt has to really try to ignore them. Blaine is looking at him with a carefully crafted blank expression. But he holds his notebook close to his chest, like he did on the first day they talked, and betrays his fear. Kurt is scared too, but if Blaine could put himself on the line before, Kurt can do it too, now.

“So,” he braces himself, “I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me some day this week?”

“Dinner?”

“Yes, like a date.”

Blaine watches him carefully.

“I won’t even pull out a pick-up line till our third date.”

A smile flickers. Blaine shakes his head. “I want one by dessert.”

Kurt’s stomach disappears for three full seconds. He watches Blaine’s smile grow, and he’s sure his own is matching the evolution. “Deal.”

“Tomorrow?”

“That would be awesome.” Kurt says, making a mental note to cancel his study group.

Blaine grins, and just stands there looking at him for a moment so long Kurt practically squirms. Without warning, he leaps forward and lands a kiss on Kurt’s cheek, before stepping back. “See you tomorrow! I can’t wait!”

“Yeah, huh,” Kurt stares after Blaine, “Me too. Neither – me neither.”

Blaine throws him one last smile – he has the best smile, better than his ass – over his shoulder before he hurries off to his next class.

Kurt’s not his 14-year-old self anymore, but he sure feels just as nervous as he did then. And as prone to hours of wardrobe agony, too.

Still, unlike back then, now he’s actually… excited? Happy…?

Well, shit.


	2. The Catch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As per some people's request: their first date.

Blaine tries not to show any external signs of nerves while he waits. He keeps his hands from wrangling, his feet from tapping, and his teeth from chewing on his lip. But he can’t stop his eyes from darting towards every vehicle that drives by or turns the corner. Kurt is _so_ torturing him. He’s late. Okay, so he’s two minutes late, but it feels like it’s twenty, and Blaine is still a little afraid that he hallucinated Kurt’s declarations the morning before.

He checks his watch again, and it’s been another half minute. He chuckles at his own ridiculousness and trains his eyes resolutely on the black sky, running his usual list of date conversational topics over and over in his mind. Not that he’ll need them – Kurt and him have never had a hard time coming up with things to talk about. But a date is a date, and sometimes that’s all it takes for things to be completely different.

Home town, studies preferences, family, childhood pets, favorite movie, and, in times of true desperation, the weather.

He’s trying to come up with a comment on weather that could be original enough not to be pathetic when Kurt’s black navigator finally pulls up. Blaine grins on instinct and Kurt slides the car window down.

“Should I open the door for you?” Kurt smirks back.

Blaine starts towards the car. “I certainly wouldn’t mind.”

Kurt pops his own driver side door open and stays there, with a smirk and a wink, and Blaine laughs. For a moment he is tempted to get in through Kurt’s side, and give him all of the tantalizing brushes Kurt’s smirk entails. But he’s not quite there yet.

Besides, one wrong move and a knee to the crotch would make a really awkward start for a date.

So he closes Kurt’s door, leaning into it for a second, before he walks around the car and gets in, sexy brushes and accidents free. He clicks his seatbelt in, before he turns to Kurt with a smile, trying not to let the way his nerves just about doubled show. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Kurt seems to hesitate for a moment. His body is angled towards Blaine, and he leans in for a millimeter before he chuckles to himself and turns back forward to start driving.

Blaine considers it for a second before he smirks. “Chicken shit.”

Kurt glances at him, eyebrow quirked. “Okay, like you didn’t chicken out too, just now.”

“What, I was trying to keep this date classy.” Blaine laughs.

“Oh, it’ll be classy. I made reservations and everything.”

Blaine whistles low, and Kurt gives him another eye-roll.

“Okay, can you not act like you expect me to fail spectacularly at this wooing thing?”

“You’re going to woo me?” Blaine is genuinely surprised at the prospect. His stomach flutters slightly.

“Obviously.”

“Well, you know, just for the record, you’re not going to have to try too hard…” Blaine reaches over and squeezes Kurt’s knee.

“You want me to crash the car this time?”

They both laugh, and Blaine swats him over the shoulder. “Wow, you can’t even handle me touching your knee, and you wanted me to ride your bike.”

Kurt sucks in a breath through his lips and bites his smirk. “When you say you want one by dessert, how soon are we talking about?”

Blain throws his head back at the implied line. “Jesus, Kurt.”

“Well, I’ll think of something better, anyway.”

Blaine shrugs. “I like your lines.”

It’s Kurt’s turn to dissolve into laughter. “No need to spare my feelings, Blaine. They’re bad, I know that.”

“Yeah, and that’s why I love them.” Blaine shrugs. “Why would I want someone with enough practice to have smooth lines?”

Kurt’s smile fades slightly, and he frowns as he glances at Blaine. He doesn’t seem upset about it, though, so Blaine just gives him a big smile and touches Kurt’s knee with his fingertip. Kurt turns back to the road, his cheeks a little pink and his bottom lip trapped by his teeth.

Blaine decides to let him off the hook for the moment. “So, a top of the line bike, and now a pretty nice Navigator… what are you? A rich kid rebelling against his privilege?”

Kurt scoffs. “Nah. My dad’s a mechanic, I used to help him out there sometimes… And I visited home last weekend. Left the bike there, brought this up. I guess cars are our thing. What little we have in common…”

“Oh…”

Kurt shrugs. “I guess we should find better ways to bond, right?” he drums his fingers on the wheel and Blaine can feel him becoming a little tenser. Maybe family isn’t such a good topic after all. “He’s alright. But he doesn’t like me very much. I’m pretty sure he had a heart attack from how much he dislikes me, actually.”

“Um… I’m sorry…”

“Ironically, it’s not even the gay thing. He’s fine with that.” He shrugs with a mirthless chuckle. “It’s more the smoking and… um,… I guess nightclub lifestyle… The bike was meant to be a compromise… He was kinda pissed when I didn’t really stop with… the other stuff.”

“I’m pretty sure that just means he cares about you.” Blaine mumbles, hoping he’s not overstepping. “Your safety…”

Kurt is silent for a moment before he nods. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

It’s hard to figure out what to say to that, and so the only sound is the stereo playing show tunes. Blaine wants to kick himself.

“Sorry…” he mutters, “I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.”

“No.” Kurt shakes his head just as he pulls over and starts parking the car. “I am.” He finishes the maneuver, and kills the engine. “I didn’t mean to kill the mood. I’ve just been… thinking about those things as well, after this weekend, and… well, like you said, maybe I got it wrong the whole time.”

Blaine’s not sure what to say, but there’s something about Kurt that tells him he wants to talk about it. So he turns to face Kurt and holds his gaze, hoping it translates into patience and willingness to listen.

“I think I always thought he didn’t like me, because I didn’t like me.” Kurt gives him a one-shouldered shrug. “Every time he tried to talk me out of… you know, all of it, it was like he was just reminding me of things I knew but I couldn’t change. Not then.”

“What about now?”

Kurt’s smile flickers. “Well. _Now_ , I’m taking _you_ to dinner, aren’t I?”

Blaine grins and Kurt returns it.

“Wait here a sec.” Kurt says, before he hops off the car, and jogs around it. He opens Blaine’s door with flair, and bows slightly. “Mr. Anderson.”

His cheeks might actually be sore, by the end of the night, Blaine thinks. He takes Kurt’s hand and steps out, noting, for the first time, that Kurt is wearing pants a little nicer than his usually ripped up jeans and a tie under his leather jacket. Kurt closes the door without letting go of Blaine, so he uses that as leverage to pull Kurt closer and kiss his cheek.

He pulls back before Kurt can turn it into a real kiss, hoping he’s not actually giggling, but knowing that he is.

“Chicken shit!” Kurt calls after him, as Blaine starts towards the admittedly nice looking restaurant. Blaine twirls around to look at Kurt and can’t help biting his lip, nervous and somehow also giddy about how intense things already are, before he opens the door and steps into the restaurant.

-

Kurt watches Blaine step inside and keeps himself from groaning. That boy is easily the biggest tease Kurt has ever met, and it’s probable he doesn’t even do it on purpose.

He lets his head hang back for a moment, he looks at the black sky above, asks the god he doesn’t believe in to please, _please_ not let him screw this up, and jogs up to the restaurant. He reaches Blaine just as the hostess approaches. He tells her the reservation details and then debates whether he should put his hand on the small of Blaine’s back while they’re guided towards their table. By the time he decides to go for it, they’re already there, so he ends up just touching Blaine for a second.

Chicken shit, indeed.

Still, Blaine reacts to it instantly; turning around to glance at him, color on his cheeks, before he turns his attention back to unbuttoning his coat. Kurt does the same, and they take their seats.

He takes the menu as the breathing opportunity he desperately needs. Kurt practically hides his face with it and lets his eyes slip closed for a second.

“Um, wow…” He hears Blaine mumble. He breathes in deep and drops his menu, mustering up a cocky smirk.

“Like, I said… Classy.”

Blaine drops his eyes to his plate, cheeks fully red now. “This is like… um… a lot…?”

“Don’t worry about it. I got lots of years of cheap dates saved up.”

Blaine frowns, and for the first time his blush doesn’t seem like the good type.

“Oh shit, that sounded terrible, didn’t it?” Kurt grimaces. “I didn’t mean it to sound that sleazy. Shit. I just…”

He can barely even force himself to keep his eyes on Blaine’s, who seems to be begging him to say something right.

“Okay, Blaine, you know what I meant…” he breathes, and Blaine frowns and looks at him as if he’s insane.

“Do I?”

“I mean, that you’re the first person I ever wanted to make an effort with, and I wanted to make you feel special and impress you.” Kurt barely keeps himself from rolling his eyes. “Don’t worry about that shit. Seriously, I got this. You’re worth it.”

Blaine squints even harder. “See what worries me is that you think you’re saying the right thing…”

“I’m not?”

“No.” Blaine sighs, which annoys Kurt and he does roll his eyes. “Seriously, Kurt. This is _really_ expensive. I can’t… I can’t let you pay for a meal like this, because it just… it doesn’t feel right.”

“What? Why not? One minute you want classy, the next…”

“Because it feels like… _you know_.”

“I don’t.” Kurt hopes he doesn’t.

“You do.” Blaine says meaningfully, and shit. He does. And how did he not think of this?

He sighs. “Shit…” he slumps in his chair. “Blaine... I… I didn’t think of it like that, okay? I don’t expect anything to happen tonight if you don’t want it, and it really isn’t like that. I just wanted to prove I can… do the right boyfriend things, and say the right boyfriend things, which, obviously I can’t, but I swear. It’s not like that.”

Blaine eyes him carefully, like he did just the day before when Kurt asked him out. Yet again, his smile is slow and tentative, but it’s still there and a saving grace.

“You have to trust me when I say I want more than… that.” Kurt mutters, “Because I will say stupid shit. It’s… just bound to happen, and I don’t want my stupid mouth to ruin this – to make you feel like I’m really not into you, when I’m just trying to do the opposite.”

Blaine sighs and smiles. “Okay, I’m sorry. I… guess, maybe I overreacted.”

Kurt opens his mouth to reply just as the waitress interrupts, happily chirping, “Are you ready to order?”

Kurt pauses. He doesn’t allow himself to pause before he says, “Actually, there’s been an emergency and we have to go.”

Blaine and the waitress look equally surprised. Kurt pulls out his wallet and drops five dollars on the table.

“Thank you, though.” He adds, as he stands up and starts putting on his jacket. “Have a good night.”

Blaine scrambles to follow suit, and this time Kurt does put his hand on the small of his back, and it thrills him. “Come on,” he leans in close to Blaine. “I know a really good burger joint just around the corner.”

He revels in the thankful smile Blaine shoots him, and then practically trips over himself when Blaine reaches behind himself to take his hand and lace their fingers together.

After a quick walk they’re sitting back down and ordering. Finally, just like that, everything is as relaxed as it should be. It’s like they’re just walking to class again, no pressure, great banter.

Blaine is adorable, trying to eat his burger with a knife and a fork, and Kurt teases him so much for it that, finally, he drops the utensils and makes a big deal of taking the burger in his hands and taking it to his mouth for a huge bite. He actually whimpers as he starts chewing, flailing to gesture it’s too much.

Kurt just pops a fry in his mouth and settles back to watch the show. Blaine glares at him, and Kurt laughs. When Blaine finally swallows the last of it, panting, they both dissolve into chuckles.

It’s easily one of the best nights in Kurt’s life.

“You’re crazy if you ever think I only like you for sex.” Kurt blurts out. He practically slaps a hand over his mouth, once the words slip out, but maybe the way Blaine’s face lights up is a little worth the mortification. “I mean, here you are, ketchup dribbling down your chin, and I’m like… no filter.”

Blaine scrambles for his napkin, and Kurt feels slightly better. Once he’s thoroughly wiped his chin, he leans towards Kurt. “I really like you, too.”

No one’s ever said this to Kurt, but he refrains from telling Blaine that. Instead, he hooks his foot around Blaine’s ankle.

“I really am sorry about before.” Blaine mutters, eyes dropping to his plate where he fiddles with his napkin. “I guess, I might be a little jaded about… every other guy before you.” He chews on his lip. “No one really wanted… you know…”

“I do.” Kurt makes sure Blaine meets his eyes, and swallows his pride. “I want all of it, Blaine. I really, really do.”

“I guess you’re different from everyone else, and it’s not because you have pink hair and ride a bike.”

“I guess I am.” Kurt shrugs and pops the last of his fries in his mouth.

Blaine watches him for a moment, before he crosses his arms over the table, leaning forward, as close as he can. “So, shall we order dessert?”

Kurt takes his time looking at Blaine, feeling his own smile settling into his lips, and his body drawing in on him. “I guess the sooner the better. If I have it after I taste you, it’s just gonna taste bitter and bland. And I have to taste you like yesterday.”

Blaine presses his lips into a thin line, his eyes the brightest Kurt’s seen them. He raises himself from his chair, his nose practically touching Kurt’s, before he whispers, “I’ll go get the dessert menu.”

Kurt watches him go, and even from the back he can see Blaine’s silent laughter rocking his body. He sits back, feeling proud of himself and waits until Blaine comes back with a slice of cheesecake and two forks. Maybe there is such a thing as soul mates.

“Pfff, one slice? Dude, you underestimate me when it comes to cheesecake.” Kurt says, pulling the plate towards himself.

“Good.” Blaine shrugs, “If I’m going to compete, I better go up against the best.”

Kurt doesn’t break eye contact as he forks the dessert. “Damn right.”

Blaine ends up only having one bite, but clearly he’s not complaining with the way he keeps watching Kurt. And as much as he enjoys cheesecake, Kurt kind of needs to be alone with Blaine in his car right about now.

The second he puts the last of it in his mouth, he stands up, wallet in hand, and goes up to the counter to pay the bill. He glances over his shoulder, while he waits for the waiter, and catches a moment of unguarded Blaine. His leg is jumping, and he’s trying to discreetly fix his hair, biting his lip. That boy is nervous. Wow. Kurt feels himself smile in disbelief. What that boy feels nervous about, Kurt seriously has no idea. How does he not know Kurt’s a goner as it is?

He reluctantly looks away when the waiter approaches, and pays.

Blaine’s back to watching him as he goes back, already up and putting on his coat, reaching for Kurt’s. He helps him into it, and then lets his hand slide down Kurt’s back, with a cheeky glance. Kurt chuckles to himself and opens the restaurant door. He grabs Blaine’s hand and they walk back to the car like that.

Kurt clicks the remote, and the car beeps unlocked. Blaine suddenly hurries his pace and hops over to the drivers’ side door, opening with a bright grin and a wide gesture. “Mr. Hummel.”

Kurt rolls his eyes good naturedly before he slides into the car. He reaches for the door, to close it, but it doesn’t budge. Blaine keeps it open and walks over with the evil kind of smile Kurt could seriously get used to seeing on his face, especially in contexts of mood lighting and mattresses or, really, any sort of flat surface. He leans into the car, lower than Kurt expected him, and reaches for something on the bottom side of Kurt’s seat. Suddenly, there’s a click, and Kurt seat slides back, away from the wheel, opening up enough space for Blaine to climb inside. Once he has, he closes the door. He hovers over Kurt a moment, their faces an inch apart, his legs straddling Kurt’s. But then, just as Kurt’s breath is about to return, he slides further in, towards the passenger seat. Kurt throws his head back, torn between groaning and laughing.

He looks at Blaine, who’s looking particularly smug and amused with himself. “You’re evil, you know that?”

Blaine smirks. “Drive me home, Mr. Classy.”

What did he get himself into? Kurt shakes his head and starts the car. Five minutes later, Blaine’s hand is on his knee and stays there.

“You do know you’re a tease.” Kurt mutters.

“I do know I like you.” Blaine shrugs, his voice much softer than Kurt expected it, all teasing gone. “And that feel like I can be a little… foolish, with you.”

Kurt can only smile to that.

“I really enjoyed tonight,” he continues, hand squeezing Kurt’s knee for a second. “Can I repay the favor and take you out this weekend?”

“And where would you be taking me?”

“We could go see a movie?”

“Sit in the back row?” Kurt teases.

“Maybe…” Blaine shrugs in the same tone, his smile coy.

Kurt almost sighs in disappointment when he realizes he’s just turned into Blaine’s street. He purses his lips and pulls over by Blaine’s door. When he turns towards Blaine, he’s already discarding his seatbelt – but then instead of turning towards the door, Blaine turns back to Kurt.

“Thank you for the ride home.”

“Of course.” Kurt pauses for a second and then decides to go for it. “Maybe one day after winter’s up, I’ll even give you a ride on the bike. It’s cozier.”

Blaine’s smile spreads like Christmas came early. “There are other things I can ride in the mean time.”

Kurt is speechless.

Blaine throws his hands up in a gesture of victory. “I’ve been waiting all night for a window for that line!” Blaine starts doing some sort of victory dance in his seat, giggling like the infuriating trouble he is. And that’s about all Kurt can take.

He leans over and shuts Blaine right up with a well-placed kiss. Blaine gasps into it, but Kurt takes it deeper and just as he fears maybe he’s gone too far, Blaine’s hands are on his neck, pulling him in, fingers digging into skin and carding through hair. Kissing Blaine is definitely better than cheesecake.

Blaine pulls away giggling.

“What?”

“That was a good line.” Blaine smiles, still resolutely holding Kurt within kissing distance. “I mean, terrible, but… you know.”

“I said that out loud?”

Blaine eyes him, still grinning, and cocks his head slightly to the side. He chuckles; kisses Kurt again and then says, “Do you want to come inside?”

 _That_ Kurt was definitely not expecting.

“But… I thought… I…”

Blaine’s thumb slides over Kurt’s bottom lip and all of the shyness and nervousness Kurt saw in the beginning of the night are back. “I trust you.”

Kurt doesn’t remember the last time someone’s words left him as scared as Blaine’s. The best guy Kurt has ever met trusts him not to screw up, and yet, it feels like that’s all Kurt has ever done in his life. He disappointed himself, he disappointed his dad… he’s probably going to disappoint Blaine. Is it selfish of him if he doesn’t stop himself before that happens?

“I…”

“I trust you.” Blaine says again. And then, because he can read Kurt’s mind, he adds. “And so should you.”

“I _really_ don’t want to screw this up.”

“Then don’t.” Blaine smiles. “But Kurt, I’m not perfect either, okay?”

Kurt rolls his eyes, and Blaine grabs his face.

“I mean it. I’m not. You have issues and so do I. That’s the catch… you never get to go into a relationship with a clean slate, but you can hope that it’s worth getting through the bullshit of two people with their own past and interior lives.” Blaine smiles. “You’re finding yourself again, and I get that. I want to be here to help you do that, even if it means some times you might… end up overcompensating and booking an outrageous restaurant, or whatever else dumb mistake.” He pauses to kiss Kurt, gentle but short. “There are limits I won’t allow to be crossed, but I trust you not to do that because I know you don’t want to be that person again. And you can be who you always wanted to be. And I’ll cheer you on as best as I can while you figure that out, because you’ll do the same for me, and you’ll forgive me when I inevitably make mistakes, and when I let my issues get the best of me too.”

“You have issues?” Kurt knows he’s being infantile, but he can’t help his incredulous tone. Blaine is the picture of composure. They’ve known each other for months now. Blaine has it all figured out.

In response he gets a snort. An actual snort. “Huh, _yeah_.” Blaine rolls his eyes, “I just don’t wear them on my hair and clothes.”

Kurt recognizes the teasing and it helps him finally relax. He smiles tentatively. “Yeah, no, I know. I’m just… a little overwhelmed, I guess.”

“I know. I kind of am, too.” Blaine nods, inching closed. “But I’d really like it if you could stick with me so we can… try to navigate it all with some form of success and happiness.”

“Um, well, yeah, of course, I’m… yeah.”

Blaine’s lip quirks up and he takes Kurt’s face into his hands, “ _So_ ,” he dips his voice low, looking Kurt straight in the eye, “do you wanna come inside?”

“Yup.”


End file.
